


A Mad Tea-Party

by AXEe



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Astra (Supergirl TV 2015) Lives, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s05e16 Alex in Wonderland, Established Relationship, F/F, Gen, Trigger Warning for Mentions Addiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:47:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23871094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AXEe/pseuds/AXEe
Summary: A GD take on "Alex in Wonderland"
Relationships: Astra/Alex Danvers
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	A Mad Tea-Party

**Author's Note:**

> So, finally saw "Alex in Wonderland", and...well, let's just say that I found parts of the story...lacking, so I wrote this. Enjoy :=)

******

_“But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.  
'Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: 'we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'  
'How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.  
'You must be,' said the Cat, 'or you wouldn't have come here.”_

\--Lewis Carroll, _Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland_

******

The case lay where it had been lying for the past three hours. It sat there, on the coffee table between an old, out of date copy of _People Magazine_ and a decorative candle, innocuous, unobtrusive, and yet oh so dangerous, luring her in like the sirens of myth, tempting her to put the lenses back in, slip away into a wild and crazy world where she could be anything, anyone other than plain old boring Alex Danvers with her problems.

Slowly, she reached out, her hand closing around the small case, feeling the weight of it in her palm. Surely it couldn’t hurt to just _hold_ it, right?

“Alex”

Jumping, she dropped the case, looking up guiltily as Astra came over with a tried sigh and gently picked up the fallen case and set it back down on the coffee table before sitting down next to Alex, gently wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.

“This is so _stupid_ ,” Alex sighed into the worn cotton of Astra’s t-shirt “after all the _crap_ we’ve both been through and I get addicted to a _game_ ”

“It’s not stupid,” Astra remarked softly “it’s a universal fact sadly. All across this galaxy, indeed this universe, people seek an escape, a way out, something that will make them forget their troubles for a little while. And, for some, that ‘little while’ becomes permanent”

“But I don’t have any problems!” Alex groaned.

Astra pulled away then, looking at her with a critical eye.

“Tell me another” she drawled.

Alex sighed and snuggled up closer to Astra. They had all thought at first that it was a result of a glitch in the software, a hacker, some kind of outside source that had kept Alex within the VR world for longer and longer periods of time, but Winn had personally scrutinized every section of code, had conferred with the techies at Obsidian and had reached a startling conclusion.

No glitch.

No hacker.

Only Alex’s own subconscious, her buried anguish and hatred over the events of her life that she could not control. Her father’s death at the hands of Hank Henshaw, the fact that woman she loved was once her enemy, the never-ending responsibility and worry she felt every day for Kara.

A perfect storm of emotions and hidden worries, all combining to convince the system that despite whatever she said she still wanted to stay inside, still wanted to be the hero of her own story, that she wanted to ignore her real life and the real world.

A black mercy in digital form.

It had been Astra who had found her, laying on the couch, unaware of the outside world, the accompanying tablet PC that monitored the user’s vitals now _screaming_ that something was very, very, _very_ wrong, that Alex was in deep, deeper than anyone should have been.

The medics at the DEO had been forced to actually stop her heart to get her out.

Now, a week later, the lenses remained in their little case, temping Alex with the unlimited possibilities within.

Looking down at her hands, Alex watched as they began trembling, and slowly, a pair of gentle yet strong arms were winding around her waist, holding her tightly as she let out a slow, shuddering breath. Softly, she pulled herself free of Astra’s embrace and then, reaching out, picked up the small case.

“Alex…?” Astra questioned.

“It’s all right” Alex assured her as she stood up and carried the case over to the kitchen, dropping it into the recycling bin, before she came over to the couch, curling up to Astra.

“Those aren’t biodegradable, you know that, right?” Astra pointed out.

“Shh, I’m being symbolic” Alex shushed her.

“Very amusing,” Astra chuckled, but then sobered “you know that it isn’t that easy”

“I know,” Alex nodded “and,” she lifted her head from Astra’s shoulder to look her in the eyes “I’m going to try to stop shouldering the weight of the world” she vowed.

“Please do,” Astra encouraged “you’ve already taken at least three years off both mine and Kara’s life-expectancy with this latest…event”

Smirking, Alex laid back down.

“I guess, I’ve been on my own for so long, that I…I forgot what it’s like to have someone else take of care me,” she admitted slowly “I was forced to grow up too fast I think. First Kara came, literally dropped out of the sky, and then, my father, and then you—”

“Oh, thank you very much for that boost to my ego”

“You know what I mean,” Alex swatted her on the shoulder (which did nothing of course) “I mean, not I’m not glad to have you in my life, but…let’s be honest here, you _were_ planning on taking over the entire city with a mind control ray a few years ago”

“Yes, I was,” Astra agreed “and, now, I want you to remember just _who_ it was who convinced me to _not_ use that—as you so eloquently put it—‘mind control ray’ and to instead turn my back on Fort Rozz,”

She reached up, combing her fingers through Alex’s short bob.

“You are stronger than you give yourself credit for, Alex,” she breathed “but, having strength also means that you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help, especially from those close to you,” her hand moved down to cup Alex’s chin “all of us—myself, Kara, J’onn, Winn, Lucy, James, we will all drop everything to help you. All you had to was ask”

“ _I know_ ” Alex whispered tearfully, allowing Astra to pull her close for a tender kiss.

This wasn’t the end she knew, her problems—anyone’s problems really—didn’t just ‘go away’ after the commercial break ended. No there were going to be dark days ahead, but this time she wouldn’t have to weather them alone.

Not with her family by her side…

**END**

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought :=)


End file.
